"Truth is I am done pretending." - Gavin Rossdale, Love Remains the Same
A/N- TIMESKIPNESSS! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Prowl and FireFly's father makes an appearance(again^^)
Chapter 10
5 Earth Months Later
"Magnum- I mean, FireFly- UM said he needs ya' in the control room." Cliffjumper says as he walks into the recroom, immediately heading for the energon dispenser.
I stand up from my seat next to Springer who is chatting with RedAlert. I smile as he continues to talk to the medic, not yet noticing my absence. RedAlert rolls his eyes, and I give a silent chuckle as I exit the room and head towards the control room.
"UM?" I inquire as I enter the dimly lit room. The lights immediately brighten and I see UM looking at some schematics with another mech.
Optimus Prime.
They both look up from the schematics and turn their attention to me. Ultra Magnus motions for me to come join them and I do so, but keep a safe distance from the autobot leader. They continue to stand there silently for another moment as I stand motionless by UM's side. Finally, Optimus decides to speak.
"This is FireFly?"
"This is Magnum?"
"Yup, this is THE Magnum."
"Yessir, this is our newest recruit, designation: FireFly." Ultra Magnus replies giving me a gentle pat on one of my wings.
"Which means you are really Magnum?" Optimus inquires, but his tone suggests that it is more of a rhetorical question.
Ultra Magnus nods, "Yes, sir."
Optimus eyes me skeptically before doing something I wouldn't quite expect from such a hardened bot: he smiles at me. "You've grow quite a bit, now haven't you? When had I last seen you? Oh yes, that time when Bluestreak had gotten hurt at training." He washes his smile away. "We had all thought you died that night. Ironhide and Chromia were-"
"Please don't say it, sir." I interrupt, my servoes clenched by my side and shaking as I try to keep myself in check. "I have just recently gained my sanity, and it's already threatened to leave me once. Please don't tempt it away again by telling me what I already know."
"Fire-" Ultra Magnus begins to scold, but Optimus stops him.
"It's ok, Ultra Magnus." He says, his optics locked on me. "I understand."
"Thank you, Optimus," I mumble.
He nods before turning his gaze down to the schematics for some type of machine that rest on the table. "We would greatly appreciate it if you would look back over these plans. Ultra Magnus says that you have quite an adept skill for planning, so I hoped you could go back over these and work out any possible kinks."
I nod before looking down at the holographic projections, ones loaded with complex equations and diagrams. I immediately begin double-checking each and every inch of mathematical processes on the holoscan, while Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime go off to the side to chat. I quickly amp up the frequency that my audio receptors are picking up to try and listen in.
"...Hide didn't even know she was still online. He tried to force me to allow him to come see her."
"That sounds exactly like Ironhide."
"He literally went and shot a hole in the wall when he found out who he had attacked that time. Although, he was ever so slightly angry," The two voices chuckles. "When he found out she had known the whole time, and had always gone to great lengths to cause damage to him."
Another series of metallic chuckles.
"Our team raised her to always go for their arms master. Then, you take out the medic, scout, and anyone else."
"Well, that was always what she did. I always wondered where she was taught such tactics because whenever we would fight, she always left as much damage in her wake as any 'Con... Or a Wrecker. And she often fought much like you do, so I had suspicions that she was maybe a traitor, but not an actual member of your team."
"Well, she is. And we will always be glad to have her."
I finally finish the last problem, and make all the necessary changes while they continue to chat. "Sirs," I say, getting their attention. "I have made all the necessary adjustments. Would you two like to double-check?"
They both walk back over and examine my changes. "Good job," Ultra Magnus praises.
"Yes; with your changes it should run at about three times it's previous capacity, correct?" Optimus asks, and I feel as if someone just hit me with a block of titanium.
I nod, "Y-yessir." I point to a specific equation on the schematics, "I simply multiplied this by the descriminant, and then..."
"Hey, there," Springer greets as he comes up behind me and I jump. "Still as jumpy as ever," He teases as I turn around and playfully slap him.
"I have to always be on guard with you around, Springer," I retort, giving him a crooked smile. "Did you make it through the morning without me?"
"Yes, but it was torment!" He complains, pulling me into a hug. "You so owe me."
"Oh really?" I inquire, looking up at him with an all-knowing expression on my face.
"Yup!" His tone is chipper, "So, I think you should come train with me."
I roll my eyes. The two favored activities of the Wreckers, other than going to battle, were training and then getting drunk. I'm glad he chose training, I am not really in the mood for drinking. "Fine," I reply. "But, don't you start complaining when I kick your ass for the umpteenth time."
"Oh, we shall see, Ninjabot, we shall see!" He challenged before running of towards the training room.
"You cheat!" I yell, before transforming and flying over his head, thankful that I am not the biggest fighter jet ever, just an F-18 raptor.
"And you say I cheat!" He calls back from where he had stopped to pout.
I transform in midair, doing a nice little flip before landing in a defense crouch. "No, I just use my resources wisely. I smirk before dashing towards the room once more.
I duck under his arm and quickly punch him hard in the abdomen, sending him toppling backwards. The big green mech sits there in a daze for a second before I walk over and extend a hand -Earth term for a servoe- to help him up. He gives me a pained grin, clutching his torso with one hand and grabbing my hand with his other. I start to pull him up, but suddenly find myself lying on top of him, his arms wrapped around me and a wonky grin painted on his face.
"Why, hello there, Ninjabot," He says, his voice teasing.
I roll my optics before giving him a quick kiss and getting up out of his grasp. He stands up also, that one servoe having returned to his torso once more. "You are going to get us in trouble one day, you know that right?" I tease, grasping his other servoe in one of mine and pulling him towards Medbay to have him looked at.
He groans, "You're the one who keeps insisting on going to Medbay. Maybe, just this one time, we could stay away from good ole' Red and, I don't know, have a little fun?" He suggests and I immediately fight the urge to slap him for being so blunt.
"C'mon, we are going to see RedAlert and that's tha..." My voice trails off as I stop to see several other mechs and a few humans crowded into Medbay.
I can name all of those present: RedAlert, Wheeljack, Cliffjumper, Ultra Magnus, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Sideswipe, Major Lennox, his odd friend Epps, Prowl and...
"No," I say, everyone's attention suddenly on me and Springer. "Nope, this is NOT going to happen. Not today." I trudge begrudgingly away, Springer in tow as a single voice catches my ear.
"Magnum!"
I whip around to see a big black mech, his optics displaying many emotions that I had cut myself off from about 13 vorns ago. He walks forward slowly, and Springer immediately steps in front of me defensively. This causes a growl to come from the mech, one I had heard many times now. "Move, that is MY sparkling you are trying to keep me from, and unless you want my ped up your aft, I'd move." Ironhide hisses.
Springer looks at me, then back at Ironhide before moving away. "If I think you are about to hurt her, I WILL step between you once more." Springer growls back, causing me to smirk.
"I'll be just find, Spring, don't you worry," I reassure my... Well, I'm not too sure what Springer is to me anymore. I turn my attention back to Ironhide, whom is currently eyeing me curiously. "So, you found out, eh?"
He nods, "But, how? The bond was-"
"Severed. I know, I severed it." I interrupt, "I thought I was going to die. The only reason I'm still alive is because Ultra Magnus and Springer found me."
"You shouldn't've severed the bond. I could've found you, and none of that," He motions with a single servoe to my no longer so new Seeker body, "Would have happened. If Bluestreak and Prowl hadn't-" His voice begins to fill with anger before I step forward, now our faces are mere feet apart.
"Say another word against Bluestreak or Prowl," I hiss. "And Springer might just have to pull me off of you. Those two are the BEST brothers I could've asked for! Prowl may be an ass now, but he was good to me then! Unlike you and mother, shipping me off the second something goes wrong!" I'm practically screaming this as Springer grabs me under my wings, knowing that to be my weak spot, and pulls me back.
"FireFly, it's okay," Prowl says as he steps out of Medbay having heard me defending him and Blue. "Let him say what he wants. I was a terrible brother, and deserve any scolding he sees fit. It's my fault Blue died and you almost did." Prowl tilts his head forward in guilt, "I take the blame for everything, Father."
Ironhide looks between where I am held back by Springer and where Prowl hangs his head in shame, confused about what to do. Finally, Optimus and the others exit the Medbay too.
"Ironhide, old friend," Optimus begins, stepping to the mech and resting a servoe on one of his shoulders. "Be happy two of your sparklings are with you once more. Let us celebrate." Prime smiles and I can't help but do the same.
"I'm game," I add, Springer releasing me and stepping around me, only to grab my servoe in his.
"If FireFly is up for it, so am I."